The Spanish rider challenged Blanco’s decision to keep him out of races to the UCI. A press note from Sánchez said the UCI sided with his legal team, but the information could not be verified by the UCI on Thursday.

“This burden is finally ending,” Sánchez told the local Spanish newspaper La Verdad. “I’ve been sidelined since January and it’s time for me to race this season. No one knows how motivated I am or how long these past four months have been for me.”